Insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers

ABSTRACT

The insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers disclosed herein may comprise a plurality of folding hangers that may be extended or retracted so that the device, and a cup contained therein, may be suspended from an appropriate surface. The insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers may further comprise a disposable, low cost material of construction so that it is easy and inexpensive to make, while also having a minimized impact on the environment. The device may be made as a single strip of material containing the perforations for the hangers, and its first end and second end may be adhered to one another to form a ring into which a cup may be inserted.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to cup sleeves, and, more specifically, to an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers.

COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent application may contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.

Certain marks referenced herein may be common law or registered trademarks of third parties affiliated or unaffiliated with the applicant or the assignee. Use of these marks is by way of example and should not be construed as descriptive or to limit the scope of this invention to material associated only with such marks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The drinking of hot and cold liquids is an integral part of everyday life for many people. By way of example, a morning cup of hot coffee, whether made at home or picked up from a retail store, is a normal, if not required, part of everyday life for such coffee drinkers. The same pattern may be seen in drinkers of smoothies, as another example, where the drink of choice may be iced cold instead of boiling hot, but still implemented as a component of the user's diet.

By their very nature of being especially hot or cold, these liquids can present a hazard or a discomfort to their various drinkers, as the temperature of the fluid within a container may be transmissible to the surface of the container. A hot liquid, such as coffee or tea, may burn the hand of a user while a cold liquid, such as a smoothie or iced coffee, may freeze the hand of a user.

A number of solutions have been presented to resolve such issues, though. One such solution may comprise an insulated cup, bottle, or thermos, wherein the sides of the container comprise multiple layers, at least one of them insulating, that prevent the temperature of the liquid from being transmitted to the outer contact surface of the container. Another solution implements the use of hand-holds or handles, which isolate the hands of a user from the outer contact surface of the container.

A common solution used especially in the case of cups provided by retail stores is the implementation of a cup sleeve, which may also be known as a coffee sleeve. Such cup sleeves usually comprise a single strip of cardboard, the ends of which are adhered to one another so as to form a ring into which a cup may be inserted. Many cup sleeves comprise multiple thin layers or corrugated layers that allow for improved insulation and reduced temperature transmission from the outer contact surface of the cup to the hand of a user.

Other cup sleeve solutions exist on the market, especially those made from more resilient materials such as fabrics, foams, plastics, and metals, but these types of cup sleeves are disadvantageous in that they are more expensive to produce and are not biodegradable, thus having a negative impact, in the aggregate, on the environment.

All cup sleeves, by virtue of their design, also suffer from the shortcoming that they cannot be suspended from a nearby location if the user needs to put the cup down to use their hands and there is no solid surface nearby. As an example, a user of a cup sleeve inside of a store with their shopping cart would have no convenient place to put their cup while pushing the cart around. The user could place the cup on the baby seat built into most shopping carts, though this area is inherently unstable and the cup is always at risk of toppling over during acceleration. While some solutions exist that implement a cup sleeve and a hanger, they are, again, produced from fabrics, foams, plastics, and metals and the issues or production expense and environmental impact remain.

Thus, there is a need in the art for an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a plurality of folding hangers that may be extended or retracted so that the device, and a cup contained therein, may be suspended from an appropriate surface. The insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers may further comprise a disposable, low cost material of construction so that it is easy and inexpensive to make, while also having a minimized impact on the environment. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will be apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention describes an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a main body.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a plurality of folding hangers.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a plurality of perforations.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a multi-layer construction.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise an outer layer.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a middle layer.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise an inner layer.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise an insulating layer.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a traction layer.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a corrugated layer.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a resilient material of construction.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a water-proof material of construction.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a disposable material of construction.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a paper material of construction.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise a cardboard material of construction.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise an antimicrobial layer.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers that may comprise an antimicrobial material of construction.

These and other advantages and features of the present invention are described herein with specificity so as to make the present invention understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art, both with respect to how to practice the present invention and how to make the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Elements in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale in order to enhance their clarity and improve understanding of these various elements and embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, elements that are known to be common and well understood to those in the industry are not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers hanging from an exemplary shopping cart, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers showing an exemplary cup placed within the sleeve and the folding hangers extended, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a front plan view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in a flattened ring configuration, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a rear plan view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in a flattened ring configuration, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is front plan view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open configuration, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is an isometric perspective view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a front plan view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is rear plan view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is left side elevation view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is right side elevation view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a front plan view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration with hangers extended, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is rear plan view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration with hangers extended, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is left side elevation view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration with hangers extended, as contemplated by the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is right side elevation view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration with hangers extended, as contemplated by the present disclosure; and

FIG. 15 is an isometric perspective view of an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers in an open ring configuration with hangers extended, as contemplated by the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Certain terminology is used in the following description for reference only and is not limiting. The words “front,” “rear,” “anterior,” “posterior,” “lateral,” “medial,” “upper,” “lower,” “outer,” “inner,” and “interior” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the invention, and designated parts thereof, in accordance with the present disclosure. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” are not limited to one element, but instead should be read as meaning “at least one.” The terminology includes the words noted above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

The insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers disclosed herein may comprise a plurality of folding hangers that may be extended or retracted so that the device, and a cup contained therein, may be suspended from an appropriate surface. The insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers may further comprise a disposable, low cost material of construction so that it is easy and inexpensive to make, while also having a minimized impact on the environment. The device may be made as a single strip of material containing the perforations for the hangers, and its first end and second end may be adhered to one another to form a ring into which a cup may be inserted.

The illustrations of FIGS. 1-15 illustrate an insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers, as contemplated by the present disclosure. The device may comprise, generally, a main body 100 integrating a plurality of folding hangers 102 defined by a plurality of perforations 104.

The main body 100 may comprise any appropriate shape such as, for example, a square or rectangular shape having an outer surface, an inner surface, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first end 106, and a second end 108. The plurality of folding hangers 102 may be integrated centrally on the main body 100 and may be defined by the plurality of perforations 104 placed through the main body 100. The plurality of perforations 104 may be placed in a substantially “L” or “J”-shaped orientation such that they define a plurality of hangers 102 having a substantially “L” or “J” shape.

The upper edge and lower edge of the main body 100 may further comprise a curvature such that when the first end 106 is attached to the second end 108 at an ends closure 110, the main body 100 forms a ring wherein the upper edge has a different circumference than the lower edge. In one embodiment the circumference of the upper edge may be larger than the circumference of the lower edge so that the insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers may be placed snugly around a standard cup.

The main body 100 may further comprise a plurality of layers adhered to one another to provide additional thickness and insulating characteristics to the main body 100, or may further comprise a corrugated layer to provide additional thickness and insulating characteristics to the main body 100. In one embodiment the main body 100 may further comprise an outer traction layer, which may be a layer comprising some texture or other grip-enhancing features, to improve a user's ability to grip and carry the device.

To begin making the insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers an appropriate machine or device may stamp out sheets of main body 100, perhaps cut from a larger sheet of material, and then an appropriate machine or device may place the plurality of perforations 104 into the main body 100, perhaps by the use of a formed punch or other appropriate tool driven through the main body 100. After the plurality of perforations 104 have been placed into the main body 100 an appropriate machine or device may attach the first end 106 of the main body 100 to the second end 108 of the main body 100. This attachment may be made by any appropriate physical means such as, for example, heating, welding, gluing, riveting, or any other similar mechanism. The main body 100 may then be compressed into a flat orientation for ease of packaging, shipping, and storage.

To begin using the device a user may grasp a flattened main body 100 and press on its edges or open it such that the main body 100 is in a ring orientation. The user may then place a standard cup into the main body 100 and use the insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers as an insulated cup sleeve.

In the alternative, the user may open the main body 100 and then press out each of the plurality of folding hangers 102 by pushing outward from the interior of the ring orientation within the plurality of perforations 104. This pushing against the plurality of hangers 102 may cause them to separate from the main body 100 along the plurality of perforations 104, and allow the plurality of hangers 102 to be folded to an orientation substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the main body 100. The user may then place a standard cup into the main body 100, and the main body 100 may then be hung from an appropriate surface by the plurality of hangers 102. In this way the insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers may suspend a standard cup on an appropriate surface, such as a crossbar on a standard shopping cart.

The insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers may be substantially constructed of any suitable material or combination of materials, but typically is constructed of a resilient material or combination of materials such that the device is easily manufactured, insulating, and biodegradable. As an example, and without limiting the scope of the present invention, various exemplary embodiments of the insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers may be substantially constructed of one or more materials of paper, cardboard, cellulose, cotton, wool, fabric, soy or vegetable oil-based foams, or combinations thereof In some embodiments the various components of the device may be coated, lined, or otherwise insulated to prevent contamination of the device.

It is noted that the insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers is preferably constructed from a material of construction that is inexpensive to acquire and easy to produce and modify, and is also disposable and biodegradable. As such, the insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers would not be made from such materials as metals, plastic, carbon fibers, fiberglasses, and the like as these materials would not provide the desired characteristics.

In one embodiment the insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers may comprise a resilient material of construction that either comprises a material having antimicrobial properties or comprises a layering of antimicrobial material or coating. Antimicrobial properties comprise the characteristic of being antibacterial, biocidal, microbicidal, anti-fungal, anti-viral, or other similar characteristics, and the oligodynamic effect, which is possessed by copper, brass, silver, gold, and several other metals and alloys, is one such characteristic. Copper and its alloys, in particular, have exceptional self-sanitizing effects. Silver also has this effect, and is less toxic to users than copper. Some materials, such as silver in its metallic form, may require the presence of moisture to activate the antimicrobial properties.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. An insulated cup sleeve with foldable hangers, comprising: a main body; and a plurality of folding hangers; wherein said main body comprises an outer surface, an inner surface, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first end, and a second end; and wherein said plurality of folding handers are attached to said main body.
 2. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said first end of said main body is attached to said second end of said main body to form a substantially cylindrical shape.
 3. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said upper edge of said main body is longer than said lower edge of said main body to form a substantially cylindrical shape having a wider top opening and a narrower bottom opening.
 4. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said plurality of folding hangers are integrated into a thickness of said main body; and wherein said plurality of folding hangers are defined by a plurality of perforations.
 5. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 4, wherein said plurality of folding hangers are separated from said main body along said plurality of perforations by an applied force; and wherein said plurality of folding hangers are reversibly folded at an angle relative to said main body.
 6. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said main body further comprises a plurality of layers.
 7. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said main body further comprises an insulating layer.
 8. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said main body further comprises a corrugated layer.
 9. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said main body further comprises a textured layer.
 10. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said main body comprises a disposable material of construction.
 11. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said main body comprises a biodegradable material of construction.
 12. The insulated cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein said main body comprises a reusable material of construction. 